Skylight construction



y 1962 M. WASSERMAN 3,034,260

- SKYLIGHT CONSTRUCTI-ON Failed Dec. 26, 1952 I43. F u

[N VEN TOR. 771a: wasserma n United States 3,034,260 dKYLIGHT CONSTRUCTIGN Max Wasserman, Cambridge, Mass, assiguor, by memo ass gnments, to American Cyanamid Company, New

York, N.Y., a corporation of Maine Filed Dec. 26, 1952, Ser. No. 328,046 6 Claims. (Cl. Sb-52) The present invention relates to an improvement in skylight constructions, and to an improvement in curb frame members and the method for constructing and assemblingthe same in skylight dome units such as are illustrated in my prior Patent No. 2,610,593 issued September 16, 1952, and patent application Serial Number 232,697 filed June 21, 1951, and now abandoned. The present application is a continuation-in-part of my copending applications Serial Nos. 275,895 and 275,896, each filed March 11, 1952, and both now abandoned.

It has beencustomary in the prior artto for-m curbing for skylight frames from sheet metal by forming and bending the sheet metal into the desired sections and then securing ends together by brazing, soldering or other suitable means. in order to form the shapes prop erly the the sheet metal is necessarily thin so that it can be readily formed and the resultant forms are not exact, do not keep their shapes and fit poorly over the curbings. in the present invention many of these diiiiculties are overcome.

it is an object of the present invention to produce a skylight unit having curb frames of inexpensive but sturdy construction which may be manufactured by first extruding metal forms having a cross section in theshape of the curb frames to any desired length.

Another object-of the present invention is to provide a curbing having an integral structure in which there is no bending of sheet metal elements and in which there are no reverse bends using two thicknesses of metal face to face nor sharp bends weakening the metal structure.

It is further an object of this invention to provide a curb frame which insures drainage of condensed moisture, rain and melted snows to the outside of the skylight unit.

it is still further an object of the present invention to provide a skylight construction having a curb frame designed to prevent wind, driven rain and accumulated snows from backing up from the outside through the drainage openings into the inside of the skylight opening.-

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood when consid ered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FiGURE 1 is a perspective'view of a segment of extruded curb frame;

FIGURE 2 is'a cross sectional elevation of a skylight unit;

FIGURES 3 and 4 are fragmentary cross sectional el vations of skylight units showing a'm'odification of the curb frame.

inthe'construction of'skylight units a plastic dome is supported over a skylight opening by resting outwardly extending flanges of the dome on curb frame members with 'ga'sketsinteidi'spo'sed between the curb frame members ahd'theflanges. The cu'r'b frame members are a continuous form encasing the top and upper side portions of the curbing around a skylight opening. The dome is secured down by screw means passing into the curb frame or by retaining curbing members secured at one end to the curb frame and having the other end grip the flange.

In the present invention it has been found that the most satisfactory method of producing curb frames for skylight units is to extrude the metal in a form having a cross section shaped in the desired form of the curb 3,034,266 Patented May 15, 1962 frame. This forml of any suitable metal for curb frames but preferably aiuminurn, is first extruded in the usual manner in'desired lengths.

Theso called curb frame'comprises as a single integral clement all of the parts on which the dome rests as well I any strains being put on different parts by forming or bending. 'Where'aluminum is used for the extruded 'element not only is the curb light in'weight but is stronger than any other equivalent method of construction.

Referring more particularly to FIGURE 1 a length of curbing covering frame is shown which fits over the upper curbing of a skylight opening. At the inner side of the frame there may be provided'a downwardly extending flange 2 and fitting over the outer face of the curb a flange or apron 2 while upwardly of the covering web or plate 3 at the inner side is the condensation gutter 3. The flange 2 may be eliminated where the covering frame is secured to the curbing other than by means of it. In FIGURE 1 holes 5 are provided through which screws or nails may extend into the curbing to secure the curbing frame to the-curbing. Extending outwardly from the web or plate 8 is a channel or outer gutter 7 with spaced holes 6 in" the bottom of the channel for draining the accumulated moisture formed on the Web which may be tilted for this. purpose. An outer downwardly extending flange 3 borders the outer side of the gutter and this serves as the securing flange forthe dome which either lies in face contact with it or serves to hold an angle member clampingthe flange of the dome to the curbing web. The holes 4 spaced along the flange 3 are for the rivets or bolts which pass through the angle member or the flange of the dome.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2 the curb frame fitting over the curbing having two side members 9 and iii-shown in cross section, rear member 11 anda front member not shown has a continuous covering web 12 in face to face relation with the curbing 13'. The covering web 12 may be slightly downwardly inclined'toward the outside of the curb frame so that moisture condensation on the web will run outwardly. A verticalflange member 14 is formed on the inside edge of the covering web, has a downwardly extending section 15 and an upwardly extending section 16. The lower section 15 is secured to the curbing by screws 17 passing through the flangesection 15 to the curbing. A vertical flange 18' extends downwardly from the lower side of the covering web 12 at a tending flanges 24 of the plastic dome 23 resting on a gasket 25 having intermittent openings 25 along its length to allow the outward passage of Water are positioned over the covering web.

This flange is secured by an L-shaped retaining frame 26 having a leg 27 extending over the flange 24- and a leg 28 secured in face to face relation with the flange 19 by the nuts and bolts 29. I

A modification of this arrangement is illustrated in r 3 FIGURE 3 wherein-the channel member 30 is U-shaped with slots or holes 3 1 in the cross member 32. It is preferable also in this arrangement to have the covering web12' slightly downwardly inclined towards the 7 outside.

A further modification of this curb frame is illustrated in FIGURE 4 wherein the channel member is eliminated. The'covering web 12a is downwardly inclined toward the outside. Flange members 14a, 18a and 1% correspond respectively to the flange members 14, 18, and 19 of FIGURE 1. Holes or slots 33 are provided in the outward extension 34 of the covering web; Water thus collecting on the inside of the covering web 12a may pass through intermittent openings in the gasket 24a and flow downward to and out the slots 33 Having now described my invention I claim:

1. In a skylight unit construction of the type described an elongated curb frame fitting over a curbing, said curb frame having a covering web sloping slightly outwardly and downwardly from an inner to an outer edge and having upper and lower surfaces, a vertical flange member extending from said inner edge partially below said covering web and secured in the lower part of said flange to said curbing, avertical flange extending downward from the lower surface of said covering web on the outside of said curbing, a channel member in said covering web positioned below the upper surface of the web and outside of said second mentioned flange and having intermittent openings in the bottom of said channel member, a third vertical flange extending downward from the outer edge of said covering web, a skylight dome having an. outwardly extensive'with and retaining the peripheral flange of the dome on the web and a vertical, leg coextensive with and secured in face to face relationship with the third vertical flange. i

2. In a skylight unit construction of the type described, an elongated curb frame fitting over a curbing, said curb frame having a covering web with inner and outer edges and upper and lower surfaces, a vertical flange member extending from and partially below the inner edge of said covering web and secured in the lower part of said flange to said curbing, a vertical flange extending downward from the lower surface of said covering web on the outside or said curbing, a channel member in said covering web positioned below the upper surface of the web and outside of said second mentioned flange and having intermittent openings in the bottom of said channel member, a. third vertical flange extending downwardly from the the covering web, means disposed between the peripheral I flange of the dome and the upper surface of the covering web providing a drainage passage between the dome and the web,'and a retaining framehaving a horizontal leg coextensive with and retaining the periphenal flange of the dome on the web and having a vertical leg coextensive with and secured in face to face relationship with the third vertical flange. V

3. In a skylight unit construction of the type described, a curb frame having in its cross section a substantially horizontal covering web with inner and outer edges, a pair of vertical flanges at the edges of said web with one of said flanges extending downwardly from the outer edge and the other extending partially upwardly from the plane of said web at the inner edge, a third vertical flange extending downwardly from said web, and a channel formed in said web between said downwardly extending outer flange and said third flange, a skylight dome having a peripheral flange supported on the covering web between the channel and the inner edge, means disposed between the peripheral flange of the dome and the covering web providing a drainage passage between the dome and the web, and a retaining frame secured to said outer vertical flange and engaging the peripheral flange to retain the dome in position.

4. In a skylight unit construction of the type described, a curb frame having in its cross section a substantially horizontal covering web with inner and outer edges, a pair of vertical flanges at the edges of said web with one of said flanges extending downwardly from the outer edge and the other extending partially upwardly from the plane of said web at the inner edge, a third vertical flange extending downwardly from said web and a plurality of openings formed in said web between said downwardly extending outer flmge and said third flange, a skylight dome having a peripheral flange supported on the covering Web between the openings and the inner edge, means disposed between the peripheral flange of the dome and the covering web providing a drainage passage between the dome and the web, and a retaining frame coextensive with and secured to said outer vertical flange and coextensive with and engaging the peripheral flange to retain the dome in position.

5. A structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein said covering web is inclined downwardly from said partially upwardly extending flange toward said other mentioned flanges. V

6. A skylight or the like for covering a building opening surrounded by a curb, comprising an inner supporting frame shaped to cover the curb and having an inwardly extending top flange upwardly flared at its inner edge and a downwardly extending outer skirt, a light transmitting dome having an outwardly flared edge supported upon the top flange, means spacing the flared edge of the dome from the top flange defining drainage pasages between the dome and frame and an outer rim having an inwardly extending upper flange cooperating with said top flange to secure the flared edge of the dome and terminating at its outer side in a downwardly extending lower apron secured in spaced relation to said skirt, thereby defining a drainage passage between the skirt and apron.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 228,282 Smith June 1, 1880 326,056 Overrnan Sept. 8, 1885 852,450 Plym May 7, 1907 918,876 Maier Apr. 20, 1909 1,968,125 Cibulas July 31, 1934 2,576,392 Downes Nov. 27, 1951 2,604,061 Estey July 22, 1952 2,610,593 Wasserman Sept. 16, 1952 2,703,060 Kiefer Mar. 1, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 50,728 Austria 1911 632,916 France 1927 OTHER REFERENCES Aluminum Extrusions, Reynolds Metals Co., Louisville, Ky., 1950, page 6, FIGURE 4. 

